Mumbai: Shikhar Dhawan played a whirlwind innings to kick-start the Mumbai Indians chase against Chennai Super Kings at Brabourne on Thursday. Talking to the media, the opener opens up about playing alongside Sachin Tendulkar, the MI team and much more.
Excerpts:
About batting with Sachin and the atmosphere at the Brabourne
Yahan [Brabourne Stadium] ka atmosphere bilkul hi alag hain, yahan par crowd jitna shor machata hain support karta hain maine kabhi dekha nahi hain kyunki main pehle saal Delhi se khela tha par yahan pe bahut hi alag craze hain aur maine difference dekha tha jab main Delhi gaya that aur yahan pe aaya tha. Toh main shukarguzaar hoon un sabka jo hume itna cheer karte hain, support karte hain aur Sachin paaji (Tendulkar) ke saath khelna ek bahut badi baat hain aur itni achi team ke saath toh kaafi khushi milti hain. [The atmosphere at Brabourne is completely different. The amount of crowd support and the noise that the crowds make here cannot be found anywhere else. I played for Delhi, but here the craze is different. I am grateful to all the supporters for cheering for us, supporting us. To play alongside Sachin (Tendulkar) is a big deal and I am happy to be a part of such good team.]
On whether the vociferous crowd knows its cricket
Nahi shor nahi bilkul knowledgeable crowd lagta hain. Unhe pata hain kaun acha kar raha hain team ke liye aur sabko support karte hain, crowd pure team ko support karta hain aisa nahi ki kisi particular player ko. Khair Sachin Bhai toh bilkul hi great hain toh yahi hain ki who pura support karte hain aur agar aap kisi ko dil se chahte ho toh knowledge vagera woh dil ki feeling alag hi hoti hain. [No, it not noise. The crowd is knowledgeable. They know who is doing well. The crowd doesn’t support a particular player, but the entire team. Sachin (Tendulkar) is exceptionally great, the crowd supports him. And if you love somebody, then it’s all about the feelings and not knowledge].
On the instructions that were given to him when he was batting
Bas yahi tha ki pehle six overs me hume acha target set karna hain kyunki restrictions uth jaati toh boundaries maarna itna easy nahi hota. Toh ache 50-60 runs ban jaaye toh acha rahega. Bas yahi tha ki mera acha lagna shuru ho jaaye toh main carry on kiya aur Paaji mujhe strike de rahe the aur main acha maar raha tha. [We had to get going in the first six overs, because it’s not easy to hit out once the restrictions are lifted. So it’s easier if we can score 50-60 runs. I started to get in the groove so I carried on and Sachin gave me more of the strike].
On getting the opportunity to bat with the in-form Sachin
Matlab dono hi bahut great innings hain kyunki pure match dono finish kar ke aaye hain Paaji. Matlab main yahi kehna chahoonga ki unhone apna cool pura istamal kiya tha, yeh nahi ki isse maarna. Toh puri situation ko read kiya aur uske saath chalte gaye toh who ek bahut badi baat hain. Aur unke jo match winning knocks hote hain toh yahi hai ki unka, who apna cool nahi khote aur pressure situation main bhi acaha khelte hain. [Both of Sachin’s innings are great because he won us both the matches. He was cool throughout the innings. He reads the situation very well and plays accordingly, which is a huge thing. He knocks are match-winning because he doesn’t lose his cool, and I was also playing well.]
On playing for Delhi Daredevils earlier and now for the Mumbai Indians
Khair main pichli baar nahi, pichli se pichli baar Delhi me tha (laughs). Dono apni jagah ache hain. Yayahn pe jaise humaari Relaince ki puri family hain to bahut acha lagta hain. Mumbai Indian as a family hain toh kaafi acha lagta hain aur kaafi enjoy kar raha hooon main. [I played for Delhi in 2008. Each team is good in its own right. Here I feel nice because of the Reliance family. Mumbai Indians is like a family so it feels nice and I am enjoying it here].
On the importance of IPL
IPL toh domestic player ke liye bahut important hain. Yahan pe sabhi intenational players ke against aap khelte hain aur agar aap acah khelte ho ko toh kaafi acha rehta hain aapke career ke liye. Baaki injuries are a part and parcel of cricket so aisa nahi hain ki kisi player ko injury nahi hoti hain, sabko hoti hain toh yahi hain ki aap move on karte ho aur dobaara jab aap fit ho toh achi team ke liye perform karne ki koshish karte ho. [IPL is very important for domestic players. Here we get to play against international cricketers and if you play well then it can propel your career. Injuries are a part and parcel of cricket - everybody gets injured but one has to perform after recovering].
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